Sustainability Weekly — CTA Architects P.C.

**Fridays are for…**

Recycling Nuclear Waste, Wind Energy, David Attenborough, and more!

by Alli DiGiacomo

Happy Friday! This week, David Attenborough celebrated his 99th birthday. David Attenborough is a famous British broadcaster, natural historian, and environmental advocate whose work has helped shape the public’s understanding of the natural world. Over a 70+ year career, he has written and narrated several documentaries that have inspired generations to appreciate and protect the planet, including Planet Earth, Blue Planet, and Life on Earth. His compelling storytelling, recognizable voice and passion for wildlife have made him a trusted figure in science communication. Other than filmmaking, he has used his platform to raise global awareness about climate change, biodiversity loss, and the urgent need for conservation. He has received numerous honors, including knighthood, multiple BAFTAs and Emmys, and has even had species named after him.

A powerful new documentary titled Ocean with David Attenborough has been released to mark his 99th birthday, set to stream on National Geographic, Disney+, and Hulu starting June 8.

Keep reading for sustainability news…

T H I S W E E K ’ S T O P S T O R I E S

RECYCLING NUCLEAR WASTE: A WIN-WIN OR A DANGEROUS GAMBLE?

The global interest in nuclear energy is growing due to climate concerns and rising electricity demand from data centers. At the same time, there is a debate on recycling and repurposing nuclear waste. Some startups, like Oklo and Curio, are working on ways to reuse spent fuel from reactors, which still holds a lot of unused energy. Supporters say this could cut down on the amount of dangerous waste we have to bury and reduce the need to mine new uranium. The Department of Energy is even putting money behind research, and lawmakers are getting involved with new bills to make recycling easier.

On the contrary, the reprocessing of nuclear waste involved extracting plutonium and raises concerns of proliferation. However, the process of reprocessing, which involves extracting plutonium, raises serious proliferation concerns because it can also be used to make nuclear weapons. That’s why many experts are worried, saying that making it easier to get plutonium raises the risk of nuclear weapons spreading, especially if other countries start building similar facilities. There are newer methods like pyroprocessing, which keeps it mixed with other elements, but they are still skeptical. In the past, the same concerns prompted the U.S. to halt commercial reprocessing in the 1970s after India used reprocessed fuel to test a nuclear device. There are also other problems such as the process creates new types of waste streams, it’s expensive, and the safety risks are real.

Some nuclear supporters say reprocessing sounds like a shiny, too-good-to-be-true solution that shouldn’t be treated as a simple fix. Others think it’s worth exploring, as long as it’s part of a bigger plan that seriously considers nuclear safety and long-term waste disposal. Bottom line: recycling nuclear waste isn’t just a win-win, it’s a complex issue with real trade-offs that we need to think through carefully.

NEW STUDY CONFIRMS THAT TWO-THIRDS OF GLOBAL HEATING IS CAUSED BY THE RICHEST 10%

A new study further shows what we already assume, that the richest 10% of people globally are responsible for about two-thirds of the global warming that’s happened since 1990, and it's hitting the world’s poorest communities the hardest. While it's been known for a while that wealthier people cause more emissions through their over-the-top consumption and investments, this research takes it further by linking that wealth directly to rising temperatures and extreme weather events. Using climate models, the researchers estimated how much global warming would have been avoided if emissions from the top 10%, 1%, or even 0.1% of earners hadn't happened. It finds that the wealthiest 10% caused 65% of the global temperature rise since 1990, with the top 1% and 0.1% responsible for 20% and 8%, respectively. To put it another way, the average person in the top 0.1% contributed 76 times more to global heating than the global average. The study highlights the need for policies that target high emitters — like climate taxes or stronger climate finance for poorer countries — and challenges the idea that we’re all equally responsible for the climate crisis. The researchers hope their work pushes governments to take fairer, more effective climate action, especially as some wealthier countries are now backing away from helping poorer nations adapt.

17 STATES SUE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER BLOCKED WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

17 Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C., are suing the Trump administration, challenging the executive order pausing approvals, permits, and loans for onshore and offshore wind projects, saying the move threatens clean energy progress, jobs, and billions in investments. The lawsuit targets an executive order from Trump that blocks new permits, approvals, and loans for both onshore and offshore wind projects, including already-approved ones like the Empire Wind project off Long Island. The states argue that this pause oversteps presidential authority and seriously disrupts their climate and energy plans, especially as demand for electricity grows and extreme weather strains the grid. Wind power isn’t just about reducing emissions, it also brings economic benefits to communities and helps cut air pollution. The White House is defending the move as part of restoring “energy dominance” and criticizes what it calls Democrats’ radical climate agenda. Still, critics warn that if wind development remains stalled until 2029, state climate goals could be derailed entirely.

MORE IN SUSTAINABILITY NEWS

England passed a law to require all new homes to be fitted with solar panels during construction by 2027.
The new pope, Robert Prevost — now known as Leo XIV — is expected to follow in Pope Francis’ footsteps when it comes to calling for urgent action on climate change.
Trump administration is ending the Energy Star program, which was created under President George H.W. Bush, and has helped Americans save more than $500 billion in energy costs by directing them to more efficient appliances, as well as prevented an estimated 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas from entering the atmosphere since 1992.

Maryland Protected Nearly a Third of Its Land, and It’s Reaching for More.
This week the Act on Fashion Coalition will be asking lawmakers in Albany to take immediate action and pass the The Fashion Environmental Accountability Act (“The Fashion Act”) – that sits before them in the Assembly and Senate. Follow this link to send an email to our New York lawmakers to vote yes to this act.
Why Hospitals Are Failing—and How Design Can Save Them.
National park advocates erect 300 billboards nationwide to protest 'DOGE's dangerous cuts'.
The largest solar farm east of the Mississippi that provides 100% of the electricity powering Loyola University in Chicago is going to provide more than just power. Starting next fall the solar array will also be part of the university’s lesson plans, serving as a case study for researchers examining the impacts of large-scale solar.
US energy companies seek exemption from Trump's plan to move LNG on US-built ships.
The Rockefeller Foundation aims to phase out 60 coal-fired power plants by 2030 by using revenue from carbon credits to cover the costs of closures, the Financial Times reports.